Wire grip



Aug. 20, 1929.

LA SALLE H. WHITEHEAD 1,7 5,324

WIRE GRIP Filed Oct. 16. 1928 wmm Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES LA SALLE H. WHITE-HEAD, OF ORLEANS, NEBRASKA.

WIRE GRIP.

Application filed October 16, 1928.

This invention relates to a wire grip and more particularly to a devicefor holding wire while stretching the same.

An important object of the invention is to provide in a device of thischaracter a construction such that all possibility of slippage iseliminated and the wire gripped in a positive and eflicient manner.

A further object of the invention is to produce in a structure of thischaracter an arrangement such that a grip may be engaged with the wirewithout the necessity of placing the hands thereon, thus renden ing itmuch more easily handled when the wire acted upon is barb wire andaccordingly diffieult to handle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a structure ofthis character which, in itself, embodies a means for taking a positivegrip on the wire and constantly exercising this grip, so that there isno necessity for holding the grip in engagement with the wire whileapplying it to the jack or other structure employed in the s i achingoperation, and in which the con-.

struction is such that the pressure applied by the stretching operationacts not only to V stretch the wire but likewise to increase the forcewith which the wire is gripped.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is showna preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a wire grip constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10generally designat-es a body having at its central portion at one sidethereof a flange 11, the terminal portion of which is reflexed, as at12, so that it parallels the body 10 and combines therewith to produce achannel, of which the flange forms the bottom wall. Above this channel,a pivot 13 is provided. One end of the plate has a reduced extension 14formed with a furcation 15 in the same general plane as the plate andthe opposite end thereof is formed with a reduced extension 16 bent toprovide a hook 17, the bill of which is arranged at the opposite side ofSerial No. 312,899.

the plate from the flange 11. Mounted upon the pivot 13 is a lever 18having a foot 19 1 adapted to extend into the channel and having theface thereof which opposes the flange 11 formed as a cam having teeth20. At a point spaced above the pivot 13, the. lever is bent, so that itangles slightly to that side of the plate at which the bill 17 of thehook is disposed and extends rearwardly over the bill of the hook, sothat this end of the lever, which forms the handle and the hook, may beconveniently grasped in the hand to shift the foot of the lever from thechannel and permit engagement of a wire therein.

In the fur-cation 15 is pivoted a second lever 21, the upper end ofwhich is connected by a link to the lever 18 at a point beyond the pivot13 from the foot 19. A spring 23 disposed at the opposite side of thebody 10 from the lever 18 has its ends connected to the pivots 24 and25, mounting the lever 21 in the furcation. and connecting the link 22to the lever 18 respectively, and acts at once as a means for constantlyurging the foot 19 of the lever into engagement with the upper surfaceof the flange 11 and as a means for preventing displacement of thepivots 24 and 25. To the lever 21 is secured an element, such as a link26, by means of which the lever 21 may be connected to a jack or othermeans for applying strain to the wire held in the grip. It will beobvious that any strain placed upon this lever will be transmitted bythe link 22 to the lever 18 and serve to force the foot 19 more firmlyinto engagement with wire W disposed between the flange 11 and the foot19, thus increasing the grip upon the wire in proportion to the pull.

Since the construction hereinbefore set forth. is capable of a certainrange of change and modification without materially departing from thespirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specificstructure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. A wire grip for use with wire stretching apparatus comprisinga bodyhaving a flange combining therewith to produce a channel at oneside face thereof, a lever pivoted upon said side face and having a footswingable into and out of the channel and having the face thereofopposing the base of the channel provided with gripping teeth, a springconstantly urging the foot of the lever into the channel, and means forconnecting a jack or the like to said body including connectionstransmitting a portion of the force applied to shift the body to saidlever to urge the same in a direction forcing the foot toward the bottomof the channel.

2. A wire grip for use with wire stretching apparatus comprising a bodyhaving a flange combining therewith to produce a channel at one sideface thereof, a lever pivoted upon said side face and having a foots-wingable into and out of the channel and having the face thereofopposing the base of the channel provided with gripping teeth, a secondlever pivoted to one end of the body, a link connecting said secondlever and the first named lever beyond the pivot of the first namedlever from the foot, and

means for connecting said second lever to a jack or the like.

3. A wire grip for use with wire stretching apparatus comprising a bodyhaving a T flange combining therewith to produce a.

channel at one side face thereof, a lever 'pivoted upon said side faceand having a.

foot swingable into and out of the channel and having the face thereofopposing the base of the channel provided with gripping teeth, a secondlever pivoted to one end of the body, a link connecting said secondlever and the first named lever beyond the pivot of the first namedlever from the foot, means for connecting said second lever to a jack orthe like, and a spring extending between the pivot connecting saidsecond lever to the body and the pivot connecting said link to the firstnamed lever.

l. A wire grip for use with wire stretching apparatus comprising a bodyhaving a flange combining therewith to produce a channel at one sideface thereof, a lever pivoted upon said side face and having a footswingable into and out of the channel and having the face thereofopposing the base of the channel provided with gripping teeth, a springconstantly urging said foot into the channel, and means for connectingsaid body to a jack or the like having connections with said leverapplying aportion of the strain applied to the body to force the foot ofsaid lever into the channel.

5. A wire grip for use with wire stretching apparatus comprising a bodyhaving an outwardly projecting seat at one side face thereof, a leverpivoted upon said side face and having a foot swingable into and out ofengagement with said seat and having the face thereof opposing the seatprovided with gripping teeth, a spring constantly urging the foot of thelever into engagement with the seat, and means for connecting a jack orthe like to saidbody including connections transmitting a portion of theforce applied to shift the body to said lever to urge the same' in adirection forcing the foot toward the seat.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

LA SALLE H. WHITEHEAD.

